Lets talk GPH threw sump

steveo9043

steveo9043

New member
So i have been messing around with the flow threw my new sump. It is a berlin style sump, so no fuge. I know i have heard the general rule of thumb is to match the GPH of your skimmer.

That being said, I have a quiet one 2200 return pump which is rated at 594 gph. I went on RC to their head loss calculator and unfortionatly they did not have a quietone 2200 listed. So I found that the cap 1800 pushed 635 GPH and used that as a reference.

Now with using the cap 1800 as a reference and inserting the 90's and ball valve it seems as if I am pushing 250-300 GPH threw my sump at wide open.

My skimmer (sca 302) says its rated at 2400L/ph which comes out to being 600+ GPH

now I know you don't want to go over 600 gph, however is half the GPH of my skimmer enough water flow or should I look at getting a new return pump?
 
The GPH rating of skimmer pumps is significantly decreased when hooked up to an air intake. Usually the amazon listing for the atmann pumps has the actual GPH ratings when used as skimmer pumps with needlewheel impellers.
 
SkullV said:
The GPH rating of skimmer pumps is significantly decreased when hooked up to an air intake. Usually the amazon listing for the atmann pumps has the actual GPH ratings when used as skimmer pumps with needlewheel impellers.
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interesting! I found a link that states its only 450l/ph when attached to an air intake which means that its only 118 GPH. So I should slow down my return right? or get a smaller one?
 
I wouldn't worry about it a whole lot. The skimmer is going to process the water going through it one way or another. One way to think about it is, higher flow through the sump, more dirty water to get to the skimmer. It's going to do the best it can and pull in dirty water and push out cleaner water no matter how fast the flow is in the sump. When I pick a return pump I spend way more time thinking about the fuge flow rate than the skimmer chamber.
 
SkullV said:
I wouldn't worry about it a whole lot. The skimmer is going to process the water going through it one way or another. One way to think about it is, higher flow through the sump, more dirty water to get to the skimmer. It's going to do the best it can and pull in dirty water and push out cleaner water no matter how fast the flow is in the sump. When I pick a return pump I spend way more time thinking about the fuge flow rate than the skimmer chamber.
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sounds good thanks, sounds like since im not running a fuge I could just adjust to how I want it. I was originally trying to adjust the height in the overflow with only adjusting the flow of the drain and leaving the return full. I guess I can try changing the flow out of the return to get the height I want in the overflow.
 
I have had great success with a slow flow thru my sump. I figured more contact time wit askimmer more better...Lol... I send a lot of time o. Idol wit me skimmer...which allows me to turn if off or only fun it a few hrs a day. Just my.$0.02
 
jayjerk said:
I have had great success with a slow flow thru my sump. I figured more contact time wit askimmer more better...Lol... I send a lot of time o. Idol wit me skimmer...which allows me to turn if off or only fun it a few hrs a day. Just my.$0.02
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Wait sorry I'm a little confused, you do what with your skimmer that allows you to only run it a few hours a day?


Mobile browsing
 
steveo9043 said:
Wait sorry I'm a little confused, you do what with your skimmer that allows you to only run it a few hours a day?


Mobile browsing
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Lol sorr so by having such slow flow thru sump. Watter spend more time in skimmer chamber. This pulling more Junk contributing to more idol time on skimmer. So I am able to turn it off most of day cause when skimmer kicks back on there junk to pull. I have 6 fish so there a lil junk to pull. Unless I don't know hat I'm talking about which is very wel possible
 
jayjerk said:
Lol sorr so by having such slow flow thru sump. Watter spend more time in skimmer chamber. This pulling more Junk contributing to more idol time on skimmer. So I am able to turn it off most of day cause when skimmer kicks back on there junk to pull. I have 6 fish so there a lil junk to pull. Unless I don't know hat I'm talking about which is very wel possible
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Makes sense, I guess it's trial and error. If the skimmer is bubbling right but not getting dark skimmate it probably doesn't need to be ran 24/7


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I thought so. I would turn it up at first to get collection in cup....she I fed frenzy...instant overflow
 
jayjerk said:
Lol sorr so by having such slow flow thru sump. Watter spend more time in skimmer chamber. This pulling more Junk contributing to more idol time on skimmer. So I am able to turn it off most of day cause when skimmer kicks back on there junk to pull. I have 6 fish so there a lil junk to pull. Unless I don't know hat I'm talking about which is very wel possible
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You run a recirculating skimmer right? I wonder how that plays into it since the water is forced to have a significant amount of contact time with the water vs. a needlewheel Venturi style skimmer.
 
That is true Ted. I would imagine it play a much bigger roam than I give it credit. Side note I do like the skimmer much better than my eshopps cone
 
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